The UK presses the "2027" timer, traditional financial regulations will extend to Crypto

The UK submits legislation to fully incorporate crypto assets into traditional financial regulations, with 2027 as a critical deadline, pushing London to the forefront of the global compliance race.
(Background briefing: Bank of Japan hints at “possible rate hike in December”: Yen poised to rebound after bottoming out?)
(Additional background: Japanese government bond auctions “sell out in seconds,” yields slightly decline, market confident of rate hikes by year’s end)

Table of Contents

  • Countdown: Full application of traditional frameworks
  • UK-US resonance: London’s new positioning
  • Stablecoins as a focus: BoE’s bottom line
  • Two-year window: A market watershed

On the 15th, the UK government submitted a new bill to Parliament, explicitly declaring that all crypto asset providers must be brought under traditional financial regulation by October 2027. The new regulation directly classifies crypto businesses under the (Financial Services and Markets Act )FSMA###, setting a two-year countdown for the City of London and signaling a clear message to global capital competition.

( Countdown: Full application of traditional frameworks

The bill states that centralized exchanges, wallet service providers, and other intermediary institutions must obtain full licenses from the Financial Conduct Authority )FCA( to operate in the UK starting in 2027. Conditions align with those of traditional institutions like stock brokers, including thorough anti-money laundering )AML( and KYC compliance, with internal controls subject to stress testing. The FCA and Bank of England )BoE### pledge to complete detailed rulebooks by the end of 2026, providing the market with approximately 12 months for final adjustments. For startups with loose structures, regulatory clarity is no longer a vague vision but a critical dividing line.

Finance Minister Rachel Reeves emphasized during the bill’s submission that the new system “targets bad actors and leaves genuine long-term players willing to undergo scrutiny.” The City of London’s previous “light-touch” attitude toward crypto industry is officially ending, moving toward standards comparable to banking regulators.

UK-US resonance: London’s new positioning

The timing is no coincidence. Since President Trump’s administration promoted pro-business policies, Washington is redefining SEC and CFTC jurisdictions. The UK’s recent high-standard regulation aims to position London as a key node for capital flow between the EU and Wall Street. Economy Minister Lucy Rigby explained publicly:

“Our intention is to lead the adoption of digital assets worldwide.”

She revealed that UK-US working groups are studying regulatory interoperability, striving to align with the US model rather than simply copying the EU’s MiCA framework.

The policy signals are clear: while the EU focuses on risk mitigation and Asian markets seek balance, London seeks to attract institutional capital through “high thresholds and clear rules,” establishing itself as the preferred gateway for US capital entering markets outside Europe.

( Stablecoins as a focus: BoE’s bottom line

Stablecoins are the technical focus of the new bill. The draft grants the BoE direct oversight over “systemically important” stablecoin issuers, requiring these entities to hold high-quality liquid assets )HQLA###—such as UK government bonds—as 1:1 reserves. Models relying on commercial paper or opaque assets will be forced to exit.

Similar to the FTX incident, the risk of fund misappropriation is addressed head-on. The bill makes “customer asset segregation” an inviolable bottom line, with dual-track technical and legal audits to ensure user funds are not used for high-leverage activities. The BoE stated that this aims to push stablecoins toward bank-level solvency, reducing spillover risks in the financial system.

Two-year window: A market watershed

For small teams, costs related to legal, audit, and insurance are expected to rise, prompting some projects to withdraw or pursue acquisitions. But for established mainstream platforms like Coinbase and Kraken, with compliance departments in place and seeking institutional capital, the formalized regulatory framework actually reduces strategic uncertainty. Research institutions note that increased certainty may enhance asset allocation willingness; even if regulations do not guarantee price stability, they can help unlock potential liquidity.

The FCA still reminds investors to be prepared for “total loss,” emphasizing that intrinsic volatility in crypto assets cannot be eliminated by regulation. In other words, the regulations establish market order, not a price safety net.

Through this legislation, the UK ends its past testing phase and chooses to exchange high leverage for international capital trust. October 2027 will be the final deadline, when London’s financial district will welcome a new era of licensed, audited, and disciplined entities. Facing a reshuffled global financial environment under Trump’s era, the UK has placed a deep legal framework on the table, aiming to reshape London’s core position in the crypto world.
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